Coming down heavily on the use of plastic in Bengaluru, the local civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on September 7 issued a circular to marriage and community convention halls in the city with specific guidelines, asking them to adhere to the ban on plastic as well as plantain leaves. Furthermore, the circular also identified these locations as bulk waste generators and directed that certain on-site facilities should be installed for those who are renting out spaces.
What is the new circular for wedding halls?
According to the Times Of India, BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said that the halls, depending on their size should stock up on adequate (ceramic, metallic or steel) plates to create a plate bank. Moreover, to avoid using plastic bottles, he said that reverse osmosis (RO) water purifiers should be installed in each of the halls. Reportedly, the notification came just a day after the Kumaraswamy-led state government passed a similar order wherein use of plastic in government functions was banned.
The Palike reiterated its 2016 blanket ban on single-use plastic in the city. Moreover, the recent circular stated that waste should be segregated at the source and should not be mixed together. According to The Hindu, the hall owners are prohibited from using any items which are covered under the wider ban on plastic, including plastic carry bags, polypropylene bags, plastic plates, plastic cups, spoons, straws etc. Also, the owners of the halls were directed to install commercial dishwashing facility so as to reduce wastage of water.
The circular also added that waste should be disposed of through proper composting methods, and separate bins for dry and wet waste must be kept. Interestingly, the circular has also banned the use of banana leaves on which food is generally served in the halls. According to NS Ramakanth of the Solid Waste Management Round Table which works in close association with the BBMP, the plantain leaves are a wet waste hazard and they take a long time to compost, reported The News Minute.
Reportedly, the order also mentions the safety of waste workers and states that all the workers must be provided with the necessary gears like aprons, gloves, footwear among others. The owners of the halls have been directed to follow these norms while renting out their properties. The circular added that if the orders are not complied with, the management will be held responsible.
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